Condenser



G. BELL GONDENSER March 23A 1926.

Original Filed Sept. 28, 1925 IIE/.'IIEIIECDCJCIID ENTOR AATTORNEY v Patented Mar. 23, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrioa GEORGE BELL, OF WILKINSBURG, ENNSYLVANA, ASSGNR T0 vWES'JLINGI'IOUSE ELECTRIC 8o MANUFACTURING COMEANY, A GRORATON OFKPENNSYLVANIA..

CONDENSER.

Application filed September 28, 1923, Serialy No. 665,426. Renewed February 2, 1926.

T0 all whom @'25 may concern:

Be it known that l, Grenen BELL, a citizen ot' the United States, and a resident of l/Villrinsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State ot Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usetul Improvement in Condensers, ot which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to surface condensers and it has for an object the provision of apparatus of the character designated which shall 'deliver condensate to the hotwell at a high temperature, and which shall at the same time .substantially eliminate reevapo ration oie the condensate in the hotwell.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention are attained by the structure hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional elevation ot a. condenser taken on the line 1 1 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view oi' the condenser taken on the line H-ll ot' Fig.1.

Surface condensers ot the .so-called radialilow type, shown and claimed in United VStates Patent No. 1,142,784, issued to TWestinghouse Machine Company on June 8, 1915, on an application iiled by Raymond N. Ehrhart, have the distinct advantage of providing a heat transmitting surface oi hifrh efficiency by reason oit the large en trance area presented to the steam entering the tube nest, and the short path ot travel oit' the air to the air oli-taire. rlhis arrangement insures there will be no appreciable -drop in pressure between the steam inlet and the point ot complete condensation. Etiiciency in the operation of condensers demands, in addition, that the energy expended in the withdrawal of the non-condensable fluids should be reduced to a minimum. rihis result is most readily accomplished by reducing` the volume of fluids necessary to be handled by the air removing means prior to the delivery thereto, as disclosed in a copending application ot Francis Hodgkinson, Serial No. 489,893, iiled August 4:, 1921, and assigned to the VVestinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Comany.

ln the Hodglrinson application, the space traversed by the cooling tubes, and in which the condensation ot steam is effected, is divided into two compartments, which 'for convenience in description are therein termen a condensing chamber and an air 'f cooling chamber, the latter overlying the liotwell ot the condenser. The chambers are separated by hollon7 partitions which also serve` to term passages connecting the chambers in l.series, the temperature and pressure within the air cooling chamber being relatively lower than that within the condensing chamber, due partly to the additional cooling effect produced therein and partly to its closer proximity to the air removal means. The above characteristic constructional 'features ot' the Hodgkinson application are in substance incorporated in the present application. In the Hodgkinson application, however, the hotwell is in open communication with the air cooling ciamber, and the condensate discharged from the condensing chamber into the hotwell, consequently enters a region of relatively lower pressure and temperature and, under certain operating conditions, a slight re-evaporation taires place. The resultant vapors rise upwardly into the air cooling chamber and are recondensed, while the condensate assumes a lower temperature. A considerable heat loss is incident to this re-evaporation and recondensation.

In my apparatus, communication between the air cooling chamber and the hotwell is tl'irough a water or hydrostatic seal, while communication between the condensing chamber Iand the hotwell is open or direct.

The temperature and pressure within the hotwell are therefore Vsubstantially equal to that ot the condensing chamber ot the condenser,which temperature and pressure are relatively higher than that of the air cooling chamber of the condenser. The comingling of the two liquids is therefore unproductive of re-evaporation and no cooling of the condensate is effected. Furthermore, pa sage of non-condensed gases from the condensing chamber to the cooling chamber is prevented; It follows from this temperature consistent with that of the entering steam, an essential condition for obtaining high condenser efficiencies.

lt is to be understood that my invention construction, that the condensate removed trom the hotwell 1s of the highest possible does not relate solely to radial-flow condense-rs, but may be adapted to be employed with steam condensers of any type or design in which separate air and condensate removal means are provided.

Referring to the drawing for a more detailed understanding of an apparatus embodying my invention, I have indicated at 10 a condenser, having a. shell 11 in which there is a steam inlet 12, a hotwell 13, tube sheets 14 secured to the shell, and an eccentrically arranged nest of tubes 15 within the shell and secured to the tube sheets. Water boxes 17, joined to the tube sheets and shell, are provided in the usual man- 11er.

The tube nest is divided into two groups of tubes, which, for distinction and convenience in description, are hereinafter designated as condensing tubes 2O and air cooling tubes 21. The air cooling tubes 21 constitute a wedge-shaped group rising from the bottom of the shell and having its base adjacent to the shell and above the hotwell. ylhe edge of the wedge-shaped group is located well within the tube nest. The condensing tubes 20 surround the air cooling tubes except where the latter are adjacent to the shell 11.

The two groups ot tubes are separated by suitable partitions or wall constructions extending the length of the condenser. As shown, these partitions are formed of inclined hollow wall members 22 and 23 coinprising outer plate members 24, supported by means of continuous lugs 2'? cast integral with the condenser shell, and inner plate members 25 secured to and spaced from the outer members 24 by suitable spacers 26. The inner plate members 25 are spaced at their lower edges from the shell to torni outlet passages and extend upwardly beyond the outer members 24. An air olii-take 28 is carried by the inner plate members 25 and extends throughout the longitudinal length of the shell. It comprises a horizontal bathe portion 29 which covers the top of the air cooling chamber, and a hollow rectangular portion 31 having disposed therein a plurality of rect-angular openings 32 for the admission of the non-condensable. gases.

The non-condensable gases are removed from the air oil-take by means of a plurality of conduits 33, which in turn communicate, through transformation pieces 34, with the air outlet flanges 35. The air outlet flange 35 is so designed as to make a fluid-tight joint with thevcondenser shell 11 and, at the same time, make a gas-tight joint with the transformation piece 34, thereby insuring complete separation of the air and the condensate. A. baffle 36 is disposed horizontally above the air oil-take 28,'and extends throughout the longitudinal length of the condenser shell. It prevents condensed fluid or rain from falling into the hollow wall members 22 and 23 and being thereby conveyed to the air cooling chamber.

The hotwell 13 is bolted to a supporting flange 37 cast integral with the condenser shell 11. It comprises a central collection chamber 38 having communicating therewith two passages 39 for conveying condensate from the condensing chamber. Disposed centrally within the collection chamber 38 is a cup 41 cast integral therewith, and extending into the cup is a conduit 42 for conveying condensate from the air cooling and drying chamber. The conduit 42 has an extended flange portion 43, which is bolted to the upper face of the hotwell and makes a gas tight joint therewith, the conduit 42 and the cup 41 forming a water or hydrostatic seal through which all condensate discharged l'rom the air cooling chamber must pass. Condensate which accumulates in the collection chamber 38 is discharged through an outlet port 44 provided in thebottom of the hotwell.

In some instances', circulation of condensate through the hotwell may be facilitated by venting the collection chamber of the hotwell into the air cooling and drying chamber. rlhis may be accomplished by providing a small hole or restricted opening 43 between the two chambers.

Having thus described the arrangement of an apparatus embodying my invention, the operation thereof is as follows: ySteam from a turbine, or other prime mover, is admitted into the condensing chamber through the steam inlet 12 and passes within the shell in suoli manner as to substantially surround the. cooling tubes within the condensing chamber'. rlhe cylindrical entrance area to the tube nest is enabled to accommodate large volumes of steam readily, andi the steam passes radially through the nest o-l" tubes toward the inlet ends of the passages 22 and 23 at approximately a central point within the tube nest. The steam is almost completely condensed in the passage over` the tubes so that non-condensable gases having a small condensable iiuid content pass between the walls 24 and 25 to the lower portion of the air cooling chamber. The air flows upwardly through the air cooling chamber over the cooling tubes, which contain iirst-passcooling water, and is further dried and cooled. The condensate dripping from the cooling tubes ol' the chamber falls into the hotwell, wherein it mingles with the condensate from the condensing chamber as will be hereinafter more Jfully described. The air then enters the inlet ports 32 of the air oft-talle. 28, passes to the conduits 33, and is withdrawn through the air outlet flanges 35 by any suitable pump.

rlhe condensate collects in the bottom of the condensing chamber adjacent to the lugs 27 and the baliles 24, and is conveyed therefrom through the passages 39 to the collection chamber 38 of the hotwell. Condensate within the air cooling chamber falls into the conduit 42 and passes through the y seal formed by the conduit and the cup 41, into the collection chamber 38 wherein it mingles with the condensate from the condensing chamber. The cup 41 is filled with condensate at all times during operation, and, as indicated on the drawing, a leg of water having a slightly higher level than the top of the cup will be maintained in the conduit 42 because of the relatively higher pressure prevailing within the condensing chamber. This hydrostatic seal prevents a flow of non-condensable gases from the condensing chamber back through the hot well into the air cooling` chamber. It further insures that the temperature and pressure prevailing within the collection chamber 3S of the hot well will be substantially' those of the condensing chamber. It follows, that the flow of condensate from the air cooling chamber to the hotwell, which is a region of relatively higher pressure will not be conducive to re-evaporation. The comingled condensate is removed through the outlet port 44 by any suitable pump.

Vhile I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various other changes and modifications, without departing from the spirit thereof, and l desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are imposed by the prior art yor as are specifically set forth in the appended claims. A

lhat I claim is: Y

1. In a condenser, the combination with a shell having a fluid inlet port, of a nest of air cooling tubes contiguous to the bottom of the condenser, a nest yof condensing tubes at the sides of and above said air cooling tubes, partition means defining air passages between said groups of tubes, means for removing condensed fluid from the condensing tubes, and'means including a fluid seal for removing condensed fluid from the air cooling tubes.

2. In a condenser, the combination with a. shell having a fluid inlet port and a nest of cooling tubes within the shell, of an air cooling and drying chamber within the shell through which a portion of the cooling tubes extend, the remaining tubes traversing a condensing chamber, partition means between the chambers comprising passages through which the uncondensed fluid-s pass from the condensing to the air cooling chamber, means for removing condensate from the condensing chamber, and means for removing condensate from the air cooling chamber, said last mentioned means including a hydrostatic seal.

3. In a condenser, the combination with a shell having a fluid inlet port and a. nest of cooling tubes within the shell, of an air cooling chamber within the shell through which a portion of the cooling tubes e-Xtend, the remaining tubes traversing a condensing chamber, partition means between the chambers comprising'v passages through which the uncondensed fluids pass from the condensing to the air cooling chamber, a hotwell, means for withdrawing condensate from the condensing chamber to the hotwell, means including a fluid seal for conveying condensate. from the air cooling chamber to the hotwell, and condensate outlet means provided in the hotwell.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this Sept. 13, 1923. i

GEORGE BELL. 

